MThA Rector Bishop Kirill Attends the X International Kremlin Charitable Cadet Ball

On December 10, the anniversary X International Kremlin Charitable Cadet Ball was held in Moscow, timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War, dedicated to the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland, and organized in support of the special military operation.

The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, sent greetings to the participants and guests. In his message, he expressed confidence that the patriotic project "will continue to serve the strengthening of the cadet brotherhood, the preservation of our national, historical traditions, and the upbringing of youth on the high ideals of honesty, loyalty, and nobility, which have always inspired the Russian military". The head of state also noted the merits of the organizers of the patriotic project "International Kremlin Charitable Cadet Ball": "Special words of gratitude go to the initiators and creators of this bright, truly inspiring project". The greeting from the President of Russia was read by Hero of the Russian Federation Alexei Romanov.

3,400 young men and women aged 14 to 23 from all subjects of the Russian Federation participated in the Kremlin Cadet Ball, many of them have close relatives who are participants in the SMO, as well as young people from 63 countries.

The First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Culture, member of the project's Board of Trustees, Honored Artist of Russia Denis Maidanov, performed the song "Rossiyskiy Kadet" ("Russian Cadet"), written by him for all Russian cadets, at the opening of the ball.

Before the ceremonial opening of the ball, the color guard group of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation brought out the flags of the Russian Federation and friendly foreign states whose representatives are participating in the event.

The head of the patriotic project "International Kremlin Charitable Cadet Ball", President of the Charitable Fund for Support of Socio-Economic Programs, Yulia Kirpichnikova, at the opening of the event, welcomed the foreign participants and guests of the patriotic event. 

"Today we especially warmly welcome our foreign participants and guests — representatives of different countries who share with us our cultural and spiritual values, which contain the great power of mutual understanding and cooperation. Our ball is a symbol of our common strength and unity, our love for the Motherland and all those ideals that bind us regardless of nationality and borders", said Yulia Kirpichnikova.

At the ceremonial opening of the X International Kremlin Charitable Cadet Ball, greetings from official state figures to the participants and guests of the event were heard.

The Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Volodin, in his greeting noted that the project "contributes to the preservation of the historical memory and traditions of our country, the formation of moral guidelines for the younger generation, and the strengthening of spiritual values".

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergei Lavrov, in his greeting emphasized the project's contribution "to ensuring the connection of times and generations, preserving and popularizing the richest historical heritage of our country, its glorious military traditions".

The Director of the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, Viktor Zolotov, in his greeting to the participants and guests of the ball, noted that the project "is aimed at introducing the younger generation to cultural values based on the invaluable experience of the Russian army, common spiritual and moral traditions".

The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Andrei Belousov, in his greeting to the ball participants, stated that the project "annually gathers in the center of Moscow the best representatives of the cadet movement, cadets, and students, who are united by a respectful attitude towards the historical, cultural, and military traditions of Russia and the desire to do everything for its prosperity".

The Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Maria Zakharova noted that, despite different religious views and cultural traditions, the project's participants "do not have any contradictions in communication, since this event contains a pure meaning". According to the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "the ball, which unites cadets from our country and their peers from other countries, is one of the cultural values where young men can demonstrate their masculinity and gallantry while remaining faithful to their duty to the Motherland. Girls, in turn, have the opportunity to show their femininity and beauty. All this together is our heritage".

The Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, Bishop Kirill of Sergiyev Posad and Dmitrov, a member of the project's Board of Trustees, welcomed those gathered on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church and conveyed the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'. Bishop Kirill noted that the project is a "revival of the best traditions, the upbringing of our Russian officer corps". "Honesty, nobility, harmony, awareness of the high purpose of a person and their calling both in family, and in state, and in spiritual-moral, religious life", this is how Bishop Kirill characterized the International Kremlin Charitable Cadet Ball.

The winners in the nomination "Pride of Russia 2025" among general education institutions were: Saveliy Filippov, Perm Presidential Cadet School named after Hero of Russia F. Kuzmin of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, and Natalya Yertakhova, Nizhny Novgorod Cadet School named after Hero of Russia Igor Vladimirovich Gurov.

The winners in the nomination "Pride of Russia 2025" among higher education institutions were: Lyudmila Oleshchuk, St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, and Egor Zubrilov, Academy of the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia.

The winners received awards — trips to the international children's center "Artek".

Background information:

The patriotic project "International Kremlin Charitable Cadet Ball", held annually in Moscow since 2016, is aimed at strengthening international humanitarian ties, intergenerational connections, patriotic education of youth, preservation of historical memory, and cultural and moral traditions.  

Organizer: Yulia Kirpichnikova Charitable Fund for Support of Socio-Economic Programs.
TASS/MThA Press Office